Monday 20 April 2020

Enough of That Birthday Malarky


This morning I woke up to this lovely view from the bedroom window.  

It promises to be another gloriously sunny day here in North Wales, and what a wonderful way to make sure there's no birthday let down feeling.  The chickens were already up and pecking at bugs in the grass, the blossom on the ancient apple tree next to the woodstore and the blossom on the little cherry tree in Chicken World next to their house are simply beautiful.  With the sun shining on the opposite side of the valley and starting to melt the light overnight ground frost it was just magical to whip open the curtains and see all this.

I've gone into my sixties renewed, reinvigorated and feeling as only a true introvert can be after all this wonderful isolation.  When you prefer your own company this isolation lockdown thingy is going down very well.

And I've found another job for Alan to do when he's finished his day job at the end of the week.


We have a single slab of oak left.  

Taken from the huge oak tree we sadly had to cut down shortly after moving in here to make way for the satellite reception we need ... and the bloody big garage/workshop we built.

The rest of the slabs of oak were seasoned for five years and then sold over the last few months of last year.  Now we have this single piece left ... and I think with a bit of trimming down ... it weighs a lot ... and lots of planing and conditioning it will make a beautiful live edge coffee table to take to our next home.  

A wonderful lasting souvenir of our time in Wales.



We finished off my birthday yesterday taking water over for the sheep, now in the end field,  and with a sit on the hillside in the beautifully warm sunshine playing with the dogs.


"Please don't put me in the bucket again Dad."



And then it was a relaxing tea in front of the television with one of my favourite films on DVD.  The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society ... and one or two glasses of wine.


A lovely day and helped along wonderfully by all your birthday wishes.  

Thank you so very much.


Sue xx




24 comments:

  1. Glad you had such a lovely day on your Welsh hillside. Suky looks really cute sat in that bucket, although she wasnt really impressed was she?
    That slab of oak will make a lovely reminder of your time in Wales.
    Enjoy the sunshine.

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  2. A belated Happy Birthday, Sue.

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  3. That wood will be lovely made into a little bit of furniture. I have a limb from a thousand year old yew tree I picked up about 15 years ago! We were in a lovely old estate on the west coast and the gardener was trimming some of the larger branches and I asked if I could have one, much to my husbands embarrassment! He made me carry it all the way back to the car lol. Its still our in our hut waiting for the inspiration to do something with it. We don't do things in a hurry here lol. I too love that film. It's so good. Have you seen Finding Your Feet? Thats a good one too. Have a nice day. xx

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    1. Yes that's why I have suggested Alan makes it into a coffee table top. Some of the other pieces went to a joiner who turned them into doors and window frames for a very old Welsh cottage, I bet it looks brilliant.

      Yes, I have Finding Your Feet, we saw it at the cinema when it first came out, it's brilliant.

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  4. Suky looks lovely albeit a little wary. Love the piece of oak, it will make a lovely souvenir of your Welsh hillside home.

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    1. Oh she hates being messed about with, poor thing 🥴

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  5. I have just started the book and can't put it down! Will get the DVD at some point, I think! Happy belated birthday - I was 59 on 8/4 so my significant one next time. No parties for me - that would be my worst nightmare.

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    1. I'll have to do the opposite, I've seen the film 3 times, now I need to read the book 🤓

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  6. When I saw the piece of wood I half expected you to say Alan was going to make you a go-kart, you have your swing so it just seemed to follow ! The table is a lovely idea, Chrissie

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    1. Ooh ... I know where there's a set of wheels. They are off an old henhouse .... 🤣🤣

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  7. That slab of oak will make a beautiful coffee table and a wonderful memory of your home in the Welsh hills.

    God bless.

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    1. It's just the right size, but even trimmed it will be very heavy, and yes like you say a wonderful memory of our time in Wales.

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  8. As one introvert to another - yes, it is rather lovely.

    The wood will make a wonderful table - and what a great way to remember.
    xx

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    1. I felt almost guilty saying it, but I am really enjoying this time on lockdown, personally that it. The news each night is awful and does put this into perspective.

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  9. Belated Happy Birthdsy to you Sue !

    Thank you for popping over, yes I probably add a small post once a year ! Lovely to see you xx

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    1. Thank you. Yes you really should, just so we know what's going on in BadPenny's world.

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  10. How clever Alan is. My husband is no good at all at DIY sadly, though he is an absolutely amazing cook. Now I'm intrigued as to where you are planning to move to. I don't know why but I thought you were moving to your apartment in Wales, but I think not now and that you may be leaving Wales behind. I'm so nosy! The table idea sounds great!

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    1. Alan has a technical engineers mind, not surprising since his trade is mechanical engineering, so woodwork doesn't come easily to him, but if I point him in the right direction it seems my family genes help out. I have to watch out though as he likes everything with perfect straight edges and balanced and I love rustic.

      We may end up in our tiny flat in Llandudno for a while, if the house sells this year, but the main move is hopefully to Garstang in Lancashire. It's more central to both our families who are dotted around in England and Scotland, we really are out on a limb here and the amount of driving I usually do is ridiculous.

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  11. Ah, I can't say I know Garstang at all but it sounds like a great plan. Family really is important isn't it and I think the current situation had emphasised that fact more than ever.

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  12. I love the oak and the pug. Happy Birthday and here's to your wonderful energetic outlook. You rock.

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